Gone Forever
by Beautiful Cerberus
Summary: Lucrecia uncrystallizes herself after her dreams tell her about Vincent's suicide. Rated for blood.


**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the idea. **

**Summary: Lucrecia uncrystallizes herself when her dreams tell her about Vincent Valentine's suicide. What will she do? How will others react? SO MANY QUESTIONS AGAIN, PEOPLE. Takes place two years after DoC. Spoilers.**

**Just so you know...I cried while writing this. SORRY FOR CLOUD'S SLIGHT OOCNESS**

_

* * *

_

_'I've had enough..'_

That was what was written on Vincent's last note. Cloud found him in his townhouse near the streets of Kalm, and the note was in his lifeless hand. Vincent had used his three barrelled Cerberus, and it lay by his side. Blood pooled under Vincent's lifeless body, and his black hair swirled around his fallen head. A dark, large spot of blood was on the back of his crimson cape where the bullets had been fired. There was nothing peaceful about this. It was shocking, disturbing, and Cloud didn't expect this to happen. Sure, Vincent was always wallowing in remorse, but he had finally let go of Lucrecia two years ago! When he defeated Omega, he had sworn that he would continue living!

...What happened? What turned Vincent to this?

Cloud didn't know what to do when he found Vincent in this state. In fact, when he read those three words on Vincent's note...

_'I've had enough...'_

Cloud began to cry. He broke down. He had lost his best friend...

Due to a memory that refused to shatter.

A woman who was stained onto his mind, never letting go. A woman's memory who refuses to clean itself off of Vincent's torn heart. Lucrecia; never allowing Vincent to truly let go. Vincent couldn't let her go, knowing that her story ended so abruptly. Lucrecia could have uncrystallized herself to tell Vincent how she was feeling! She should have let him know that it was okay. Only her words could truly penetrate the shield Vincent refused to put down. But she didn't.

That's what drove Vincent to this point.

All Cloud could do now was break it to the rest of Vincent's companions...

* * *

A dream. A dream was drifting closer to the frozen, sleeping mind of Lucrecia Crescent. Her form stayed the same, but her mind was eager to get to the messages being send to her. After so many dreams of Sephiroth, knowing this was different was a little frightening. She could see something, and it drifted closer and closer out of the bright white light surrounding her thoughs. Whatever it was, it wasn't quite clear yet. She knew it wasn't Sephiroth; the sounds she was hearing couldn't have been related to him. She knew it wasn't about Hojo; he had died along with Omega.

But then, as the message came nearer, it became more clearer. Her first sight was crimson. Crimson blood. She saw a mess of black hair, followed immediately by a gloved hand limping covering a note. The words were unreadable from her perspective, and the image quickly flashed to Cerberus: Vincent's gun. It laid on the floor, slowly being swallowed by a spreading pool of blood.

Vincent.

Her worst nighttmare had come true.

* * *

Lucrecia looked around the cave she had been sleeping in. It hasn't changed. The same water, the same air, the same crystals, the same atmosphere. She had uncrystallized herself in hopes of seeking Vincent's true reason for his suicide. Of course, she came out with a broken heart and a clouded mind. Vincent_ died._ At his own cause...Because of _her._ He was gone. But...why? He had actually started living, and was going to keep on going without Lucrecia...And from the messages she recieved, Lucrecia knew that his death was a result of his feelings for her.

..How could she allow this to happen?

Lucrecia had gotten messages of what Cloud did after discovering Vincent's suicide. Vincent had gotten buried, but Lucrecia just didn't know where. She was scared of confronting Avalanche. This was definitely unexpected. How would they react?

Lucrecia proceeded to walk out of the cave, and away from the glorious dreamland her cave was isolated in. The waterfalls were beautiful, and being able to hear the sounds of rushing water again was beautiful. It had been so long. Why did she stay inside that isolation for so many years when she knw she could make herself free?

...Maybe that's why Vincent...

Lucrecia continued on to the now unknown city of Edge. It was so different...She had never really been here too much, but she knew that Cloud was there. She needed to know where Vincent was now...

The Seventh Heaven. Lucrecia had seen it in her dreams. She knew a girl named Tifa ran the bar, and that she was great friends with Cloud. Her nerves were beginning to creep up on her. The lights of the bar weren't on, but she saw someone inside through the window. Long black hair, wearing a black outfit. Something told her that this was Tifa, as she was washing the dishes. Taking a long breath in, Lucrecia stepped through the doors, her long white dress floated behind her.

Two heads turned when she walked in. Tifa, and Cloud. Cloud was sitting at the counter, and his eyes instantly narrowed at the sight of Lucrecia. Lucrecia was very intimidated. The large sword on his back frightened her, even though it really shouldn't have. There was absolute silence. It was then that Lucrecia noticed that Cloud's eyes were puffy and red. Tifa looked sad. Cloud had been crying. Apparently; his best friend had just commited suicide.

"Cloud..." said Lucrecia, not moving an inch from the doorway. Cloud twisted on the seat to face her fully, his arm resting on the counter beside him.

"...What are you doing here?" he asked. His voice was low, and sad. Part of it sounded forceful.

"..I would like to know where..Vincent's burial is.." Lucrecia continued.

Cloud stood up, his body springing up with threat. His face became angry. "Why do _you_ want to know where his burial is? So you can make his afterlife a world of mystery and pain, too?!" Cloud stormed. Tifa reached over the counter, and grabbed Cloud's arm.

"Cloud, calm down..." she said soothingly, though her voice indicated that she thought he was right. Cloud breathed heavily, obviously in a fit of rage at Lucrecia. Lucrecia's arms dropped to her sides, and she tried to keep her awakening face straight. Part of her wanted to yell back, and part of her knew to stay concieved and calm. She knew what she wanted to do. Of course the others were going to be angry.

"..I want to go to him," she said finally. Cloud slowly and hesitantly sank back down into his seat. Tifa's arm retreated back to her side.

"...The ruins. Near the Shinra Building...At the old mako cannon."

Without a word, Lucrecia turned around and walked out of the bar.

* * *

The place of Omega's sprouting and fall; the place of Chaos' death and journey back to the planet; the place where the world was restored by beautiful mako snow.

It held new meaning now. It was Vincent Valentine's graveyard.

It was right near the mako cannon, the tombstone. The lights of the sunset shined over the ruins in a beautiful orange essence. Though there was light, it was still dark. The dirt was lumpy where there had been digging and the replacing of dirt. Up above, hanging on a twig, two years later, was Vincent's Cerberus charm. Lucrecia couldn't believe that it was still there. It swayed in the wind, and glinted in the fading sunlight. Lucrecia felt tears welling up in her eyes as she approached the grave of Vincent Valentine. Kneeling, she sank to her knees.

"Vincent.." she said, her voice slowly breaking. Tears haven't fell yet. Through obscured vision, she read the letters engraved onto the tomb.

_Vincent Valentine_

_Ex-Turk, Former Member of Avalanche_

_RIP_

At the bottom on the ground, there were bouquets of crimson red, and black flowers. Tears welled up further in Lucrecia's eyes. "Vincent...I'm so sorry to keep you waiting...this long..." she said.

Reaching out, she gently touched the cold, smooth, hard marble tombstone. She let her tears fall.

"I wish I could have seen you..."

"I'm sorry I couldn't help you..."

She closed her eyes, and the tears streamed like rivers down her face. Listening to her soft sobs was her only comfort. Not coming forth to Vincent was what led him to this. He was dead, a man who could no longer feel pain. Lucrecia hated herself. She let this happen by letting her guilt last this long. It cost her her existence, it cost Vincent his _life._

"..I hope you're in a land of peace, Vincent...I can only wish you well, now..." she said.

The wind rustled the crimson flowers slightly.

Lucrecia stood up, and looked around. Night was falling quickly. She could see the stars peeling from over the horizen. She sighed, her eyes stinging with tears. Before she walked away, she reached up to the scrap of loose metal that the Cerberus charm hung onto, and snagged the charm. Sniffling, she walked back over to the tomb. With one last sob, she laid the charm on the grave, and walked away.


End file.
